Make Your App a Hit: a Three Part Checklist for Mobile Developers

For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that want to make mobile a key part of their business strategy, it is crucial to create an app that is downloaded and used by the right audience.

A winning app strategy and effective app store optimization (ASO) set the groundwork for success, but in order to really tap an app’s potential, focus on these specific keys to app promotion: strategic use of digital assets; well-placed quick response (QR) codes and content that generates interest

Here are some concrete ways to promote an app.

Use Your Digital Assets

If you’ve got it, flaunt it. After spending the necessary time to create and develop a killer app, you have to make sure that it is prominently featured, links directly to your web pages, and is connected to your digital content and assets.

- Link to your apps: Use your website to promote apps with banner or text-based links in prominent locations. Include links to download your app wherever and whenever possible.

- Display app marketplace icons: Make it obvious and painless for your audience to download your app. Provide app marketplace icons alongside your social icons and across all social media channels. Link directly to your pages in the app marketplaces.

- Promote your apps: Use the channels you have already built for communication and feedback. Talk up your app or share content directly on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, and Google+ accounts. Take advantage of holidays, special events, and promotions as reasons to engage your audience with app teasers that will link to your app. Respond to feedback and encourage user reviews. Persuade your followers to share messages about your apps and link directly to them on their social networks.

- Offer incentives: To the unknown audience, your app is one among many. Sweeten the deal with special offers, coupons, and deals that are exclusive to your app.

Promote with QR Codes

If you want a quick response to your app, use QR codes – a tool the industry has already widely adopted. For those customers who may not appear via your digital assets but are actually walking around your retail location, the street, or a tradeshow, a QR code lets them connect to your app instantly.

- Use it on all your physical assets: newsletters, advertisements, business cards, flyers … even t-shirts and swag at a convention. Holiday greetings, personalized messages, gift receipts, and even envelopes provide additional places to print QR codes.

- Always include a call to action to accompany it, such as “Scan to download our app!”

- Heck, you can even change your profile pic to your QR code for a great way to connect on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Generate Interest in Your App

It’s time to keep a steady buzz about your app by creating content and directing interest to the right audiences. This boils down to generating content such as blogs, press releases, and video demos; distributing it across online and traditional channels; and networking your app.

Self-started buzz:

- Write a blog post and share it with your contacts. Designate a section of your website to content and updates about the app. Provide real-time updates about your app across your digital assets, including new features and updates.

- Create a video with a demo of your app that you can post on YouTube, your website, and other social channels. Distribute across all relevant forums, aggregators, and channels.

- Create a dedicated landing page for your mobile app, featuring its QR code, demo videos, and links to its app store pages. Use this to communicate updates and new features.

Traditional media:

- Write a press release and distribute it to relevant media outlets. Identify journalists and bloggers specifically focused on your industry and encourage them to write articles about your app.

Networking:

- Reach out to your business network and ask them to share your content about your app. Throw a launch party to showcase your app and invite all of your industry connections. - Network in all other ways, such as through your social channels and your elevator pitch. Always direct people to your app.

All these work together for you. The links are direct, QR codes convenient, the messaging consistent and accessible, and the content lets you continue the conversation about your app across all your assets. Link, display, code, and buzz your app to success.